Ordnance



Marchy 26, 1946. J. c. TROTTER ORDNANCE Filed Oct. i6. 1942 INVENTB../a/m C fvrer Patented Mar. 26, 1946 oRDNANoE John C. Trotter,Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to VBell Aircraft Corporation, Buil'alN.Y.

Application October 16, 1942, Serial No. 462,255

Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance, more particularly to remotecontrolled gun sighting means. One of the objects of the presentinvention is to provide an improved remote controlled gun sightingmechanism for use in conjunction with high altitude aircraft wherein thegun sight mechanism is disposed within a pressurized aircraft cabin orenclosure while the gun mechanism is mounted exteriorly thereof. Anotherobject of the present invention is to provide a sighting mechanism ofthe character described which is of improved accuracy characteristics.Other objects and advantages of the invention Will appear from thespecification hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an airplane mounting a gun andgun sighting arrangement of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the gunand gun sight synchronizing mechanism; and,

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line III-III of Fig. 2.

The drawing illustrates the invention in conjunction with a platformsuch I:as a combat airplane including a fuselage or gunners nacelle asindicated at I0 from which extends a gun enclosure indicated generallyat I2. Thus, it will be understood that the enclosures Ill-I2 may bedisposed either at the nose or tail of an aircraft, or at any side ortop or bottom portion thereof. A gun I4 of the aerial cannon or machinegun type is shown mounted Within the enclosure I 2 by means of a yokeand pivot mount indicated generally at I6; and it will be understoodthat the gun will be supported by the yoke I6 upon a base I8 in suchmanner that the gun is freely pivotable both vertically and horizontallyfor elevational and azimuthal aiming adjustments thereof. The enclosurestructure I2 will of course necessarily be suitably apertured .toaccommodate aiming swinging movements of the gun barrel, and it will beunderstood that therefore the interior of the gun enclosure I2 will beat external yatmospheric pressures.

For high altitude service the gunners nacelle I 0 will preferably beartificially pressurized by means of any suitable air compressionmechanism, which forms no part of the present invention; but it will beunderstood that to enable the compressor mechanism to eiectivelypressurize the nacelle I0 a pressure-proof partition or wall asindicated at must be disposed to seal the nacelle I0 from the gunenclosure I2.

Thus, the gunner will be accommodated within an artificially pressurizedenclosure, and the Wall portions thereof will be provided with suitableWindow sections, as at 2i, for observation purposes, as is wellunderstood in the art.

The gun sighting mechanism may comprise, as illustrated at 22 (Fig, 1),any suitable type of telescope sight or the like; and the sight devicewill be pivotally mounted as indicated at 24 upon a yoke 26 which inturn is received in rotatable relation by a vertically socketed basemember 28, whereby the sight telescope is freely pivotable both inelevation and azimuth for target sighting purposes. A gear quadrant 30is carried by the sight 22 to be concentric of the pivot axis at theconnection 24, and a worm gear 32 is'mounted to mesh with the quadrant3U and to be driven by an electric motor 34 which is fixed to stationaryaircraft structure by means of a bracket 35.

The motor 34 is arranged to be energized by means of a battery asindicated at 36, or in the alternative through means of connection toany other suitable power supply; and conductors 3'1-38 are connected tocomprise a control circuit for the motor 34 arranged to be actuatedthrough a rheostat as indicated at 40. The rheostat control lever 42 isarranged to extend therefrom for convenient manipulation by the gunnerfor suitable reverse direction control of the motor operation, wherebythe telescope sight 22 will be driven by the motor 34 to elevationallyadljusted positions for aiming at a target. Thus,

the rheostat lever 40 will be adapted to be swung upwardly by the gunnerfrom its central position to` close the circuit controlling operation ofthe motor 34 in such direction as to deflect the sight 22 downwardly,while downward movement of the rheostat lever 4U will cause the motor tooperate in reverse direction to elevate the muzzle of the telescope.

The rheostat grid base is adjustably mounted upon the aircraft andlinked to the telescope sight 22 by means of a strut 46, whereby as thesight shifts in response to operation of the motor 34 to a position,corresponding to the control movement of the rheostat lever, therheostat device will automatically return to open-circuit condition.Hence, in response to each aiming adjustment movement of the lever 40the motor will drive the telescope sight to a corresponding adjustedposition, whereupon the link 46 will automatically return the control tomotor de-energized condition pending further manipulation of the controllever.

nects in driving relation With a Worm 64 geared Y' to a toothed quadrant66 which is carried bythe gun M concentrically of the elevationaladjustment axis thereof- The hydrau1icmotor-62is arranged to be drivenby circulation of pres# automatically returned itself to neutralcondition as explained hereinabove. The mechanism is of course adaptedto provide the aiming adjustment movements referred to in eitherdirection of elevational adjustment.

It will be appreciated that a particular feature and advantage of theVarrangement of the invention resides in the fact that the operativeconnections extendingfbetween the pressurized nacelle lfzandithe 'open'.gun enclosure iZ-Vconsists only of one torque cable and twopressure-sealed uid conduits, all of which may be arranged With utmostfacility to extend through the partition Wall in atmosphericpressure-sealing relation. Thus,the arrangement of the invention avoidsthe -g'reatdisadvantages and objections of prior art sured fluidtherethrough by meansgofv conduits 68-69 leading from the motor 62 to apump 16.

The pump 'lil is of the variable displacementA type of which severalSuitable modelsare pres- 'ently available, and per se forms `no part ofthe present invention. The displacement control lever offthepump 'i6 isindicated at-'l2 and is connected by means of a link 'M'and suitablepivot connections Vto an arm "El extending through a slcttedportion ofthe differential casing S55. AThe arml'lfclamps at its inner end upon a`shaft '#8 which smcunteduponthe inner racc of anannularfball bearing Silcarried within the casing 55.3 "The'shaft 'i3 extends inwardly from thebearingfi'n a'direction radially thereof and toward theV4 axis Yofrotation' Yof Vthe differential gears 5261-56; 'and' the bearing 8i) isarranged concentrically ofr such axis. The floating gear 62 rof thedifferential mechanism'is'rotatably'mounted upon the shaft'l', and iscarried thereby so as to mesh with the gears 54-56. Thus, it will beunderstood that 'in response to any'diferential movements' of the gears'5ll`56the floating gear 82 will be given a corresponding planetarymotion whereby theshaft T8 will be moved laterally within'the casing 55and will thereby 'carry' the arm' TI' -to actuate the control' crank l2of the pump 10'.

Asvstatedjth'e pump 'itl Will be preferably of the type' that isconstantly operating, and will deliver iluid througlfr'the conduitsSii-69 at rates varying from Vzero to maximum; pump capacity ascontrolled bythe arm l2. Hence', the fluid' pressures acting upon themotion producing elements ofthe motor t2 will be constant and of maximumorder, and the motor'62 will therefore always be under -rm 'cont-rol bythe hydraulic system'and thepossibility of lost motion oroperational lagis'iavoded. f

A Thus; it will be understoodv that whenever the rheostat controllevert? is adjusted to' a new position, the moto`r`34Y will be ltherebyenergized to-drive the gun sight toward a corresponding positionofelevational adjustment, while the torque cable Eil simultaneouslyactuatesthe differential gear 54 to displace the floating gear 82in-suc-h-manner Aas to cause the control" arm 1.2 of' the pump l@ to beactuated awayfrom its neutral or non-delivery position. The parts of themecharnsmA are so varranged that the'response of the Jpn-mp lil tothecontrol' operation just referred -to' will causethe delivery of aYsupply of pressured iluid to the hydraulic Ymotor 62 'so as to cause themotor to drive the gun-I-to-an ele'- .vationally adjusted positioncorresponding exactlyto 'the acljustedfposition of the vgun sight-'22.Thedriving connection between the motor S2 andthe differential gearE56-willthereupon funtion: to"return the 'differential Vs'ystem-to'-its'neutral condition, while the rheostatfm'echans'm vhas remote control`guny sighting arrangements such as employ linkagesor push-pullactuating mechanismsbetween the gun and the gun sight ele-` ments andVwhich are particularly difficult to prefss'ure-'seal"duel to the natureof theco'ntrol movementsthere'ofg'" fr 'Lf ,'l'cattuatey thegun'a'nd gunsight units for azimutna'l adjustments, motorssimilartoV the mo'- tors34-'i6'2he'reinabove referred to Will be coupled tq'the' gun sight arid'gun elements;respectively, for' producing-rotation'thereof in horizontaldirecti'ons.' In such' case the rheostatI c'ontrolh'anwould' be-coupled' to" a' second rlieostatdeispcsedY in iahorizontal piane;whereby the -`tian'die vtg/ould'jbe universally manipulatabief tof'procure 'corresponding combination elevaticnal*and*vazimuthaladjustments 'of' the" gun sight andgununits.- "To thisend'l'thecombination system would also include duplicatejdiierem tialand hydraulic pump mechanisms of the' typ illustrated and're'fer'red Itohereinabove. t'

It is contemplatedthatin-flieu' of theel-ectric motor 341,! any: othersuitable vtype f of motor Ydevice may Abel'employed `forzwi',hepur1fx;sev such' lasr ahydraulic motor or the like;andthatftheicontrol handle 42 would` thereupon'be connected 'through asuitable control device to provide the type-of motorifr :en'tro'ljreferred to; `It will also be understood-that in lieu of the torquecable 4"and-*hydraulic systems. connecting with Y the differentialmechanisniof the-drawing, any other-'suitable form`oflfmovement-synch-ronizing means` may be employed `such ras `.variablev-riiechariical transmissonseonrsisyn transmlissicns,Y or the like; andthat-althougnonly one form ci the invention has ybeen' illustratedVanddescribed in` detail, it Will-be understood.that.'various'i'fchanges may be 'made .thereimrwithout departing fromLthe spirit offthe invention orthescope'of the appended claims."T'claim': i if combination, a gunmounted for-pivotal movements upon 'a`yplatform fluid pressure motor .mean's'1;|mounted; 'upon said iplatform and geared 'pcsitesidestnereofto sadnrsti and saidseccndinelitfonefd-f torque transmission means, and vhaving `'a"floating"gearmember responsive to differential movements of said torque transmissionmeans, iiuid pump means connected to said gun actuating motor means foroperating the latter and having a displaceable control member, and meansconnecting said displaceable control member and said floating gear foractuation in response to planetary movements of said gear to controls'aid pump.

2. In combination, a gun pivotally mounted upon a base, hydraulic motormeans mounted upon said base and geared to said gun for pivoting thelatter, gun-sight means disposed remotely from said gun and mounted topivot in aiming directions corresponding to pivotal movements of saidgun, motor means geared to said gunsight for pivoting the latter,control means for said gun-sight motor means adapted to be manuallymanipulated to procure motor-actuated pivoting movements of saidgun-sight, iirst torque transmission means coupled tosaid gun-sight anda second torque transmission means coupled to said gun for respectiveactuation in response to pivoting movements thereof, differential gearmeans separately coupled at opposite sides thereof to said rst and saidsecond mentioned torque transmission means and having a floating gearmember responsive to differential movements of said torque transmissionmeans, an arm extending from said floating gear member, hydraulic pumpmeans connected to said gun actuating motor means for operating thelatter and having a displaceable control member, and means connectingsaid displaceable control member and said lioating gear arm foractuation in response to planetary movement of said gear` to controlsaid pump.

3. In combination, a gun mounted for pivotal movements upon a base,reversible hydraulic motor means mounted upon said base and geared tosaid gun for pivoting the latter, an atmospheresealed enclosure disposedremotely from said gun and adapted to accommodate a gunner therein,gun-sight means mounted Within said enclosure to pivot relative theretoin directions corresponding to pivotal movements of said gun, reversiblemotor means geared to said gun-sight for pivoting the latter, controlmeans for said gun-sight motor means adapted to be manually manipulatedto procure motor-actuated pivoting movements of said gun-sight, firsttorque transmission means coupled to said gun-sight motor means, asecond torque transmission means coupled to said gun for actuation inresponse to pivoting movements thereof, differential gear meansseparately coupled at opposite sides thereof to said rst and said secondmentioned torque transmission means and having a floating gear memberresponsive to differential movements of said torque transmission means,reversible direction pump means connected to said gun actuating motormeans for operating the latter and having a direction control member,and means connecting said direction control member and said floatinggear for actuation in response to planetary movements of said gear tocontrol said pump.

4. In combination, a gun mounted for pivotal movements upon a platform,reversible direction fiuid pressure type motor means mounted upon saidplatform and geared to said gun for pivoting the latter, gun-sight meansmounted upon said platform to pivot relative thereto in sightingdirections corresponding to pivotal movements of said gun, reversiblemotor means geared to said gun-sight for pivoting the latter, controlmeans for said gun-sight motor means adapted to be manually manipulatedto procure motor-actuated pivoting movements of said gun-sight, ilrsttorque transmission means coupled to said gun-sight and a second torquetransmission means coupled to said gun for respective actuation inresponse to pivoting movements thereof, dierential gear meansseparatelyY coupled at opposite sides thereof to said rst and saidsecond mentioned torque transmission means and having a floating gearmember responsive to differential movements of said torque transmissionmeans, motor control means connected to said gun actuating motor meansfor controlling the latter and having a displaceable control member, andmeans connecting said iloating gear and said displaceable control memberfor actuation of the latter in response to planetary movements of saidgear.

5. For use as an ordnance accessory to high altitude aircraft, a gunbattery comprising in combination, a base, a gun mounted for pivotalmovements upon said base, hydraulic pressure motor means mounted uponsaid base and geared to said gun for pivoting the latter, anatmosphere-sealed Walled enclosure mounted upon said aircraft anddisposed remotely from said gun and adapted to accommodate a gunnertherein, gunsight means mounted within said enclosure to pivot relativethereto in directions corresponding to pivotal movements of said gun,motor means geared to said gun-sight for pivoting the latter, controlmeans for said gun-sight motor means adapted to be manually manipulatedto procure motor-actuated pivoting movements oi said gun-sight, rsttorque transmission means coupled to said gun-sight motor means, asecond torque transmission means coupled t0 said gun for actuation inresponse to pivoting movements thereof and extending into said enclosurethrough a pressure-sealed apertured Wall portion thereof, paireddifferential gear means separately coupled to said iirst and said secondmentioned torque transmission means and meshing with a floating gearmember responsive to differential movements of said torque transmissionmeans, hydraulic pump means mounted Within said enclosure and connectedto said gun actuating motor means through means of pressure-sealedconduit devices extending through a pressure-sealed aperture portion ofsaid enclosure wall for operating the latter and having a displaceablecontrol member, and means connecting said displaceable control memberand said floating gear for actuation in response to planetary movementof said gear to control said pump.

JOHN C. TROT'I'ER.

